


On Golden Wings We Fly

by Interstellararia



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Implied/Referenced Abuse, Kiran's got a battered past and doesn't exactly trust people yet, M/M, hopefully he warms up to his new role as summoner
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-30
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-10-25 15:50:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,127
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10767459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Interstellararia/pseuds/Interstellararia
Summary: He runs for his life in the rain. Suddenly, he finds himself in a brand new world, somewhere where he can be safe. Kiran is wary of the people he's met in Askr, but maybe he'll start to find friends, perhaps even more than that.





	1. Beginnings

**Author's Note:**

> All aboard the Kiralphonse train (doot doot)
> 
> I ended up getting really invested in this pairing after what happens at the end of chapter 10 in Heroes. Hopefully this will be a pretty decent length with some good quality fluff and bonding moments. Enjoy!

He’s running as fast as he can. His heart pounds and chest stings on each inhale. It’s raining as well, so each breath brings moisture into his lungs. His boots pound against the sidewalk as he runs. Tears streak down his face, disguised by the hissing rain. One moment, he’s dashing down the city streets, the next, he slips. Before he can hit the wet ground, there’s a sudden breeze and the smell of fresh air is very prominent. A sudden ache sings in his head, some odd melody he’s never heard before. He hates it. Now he hits the ground. The young man is startled by the grass touching his face. He looks at his surroundings to find a castle in the distance and a young red-headed woman standing before him. Before she could get a clear look at his face, he reaches back and instinctively pulls his hood over his head, but he wasn’t wearing his sweatshirt anymore. He was in an elegant white coat, dry, unlike the rest of him which was damp with rain. He brings his knees to his chest and shivers.  
  
“Who are you?” The woman asks. She’s clad in gold and white and totes a heavy looking axe. The young man greets her with silence. She seems a little frustrated and puts a hand on her hip. “Look, I need to know if you’re a threat to the kingdom.”  
  
“I’m not.” He says softly. “Where am I?”  
  
“Oh?” She seems a bit baffled, then comes to a realization. “I summoned you here!”  
  
“Wait, what? … It was raining and I was running and… how did I get here?”  
  
“I used this!” She shows him something that looks vaguely like a pistol. “Oh gods, you look soaked!” She offers up a hand, which he slowly takes to be helped up. He stands slightly taller than the woman before him.  
  
“Commander Anna! There you are!” Another voice. It belongs to a young man who dashes up. He’s wearing similar armor to the woman and his deep blue hair has a few blonde tips. “Wait, who is this?” He frowns a little at the newcomer. “Could it be..?”  
  
“Yes! This is the Summoner! I used Briedablik and he appeared! He can use the divine weapon to help us.”  
  
“My name’s Kiran.” The Summoner says quietly, which makes the blue haired young man straighten out a little.  
  
“So you’re our Great Hero? My name’s Alfonse, Prince of Askr and a member of the Order of Heroes. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Alphonse gives Kiran a slight smile, which makes the Summoner back away a little. He wasn’t used to people being nice to him and part of him expected Anna and Alphonse to turn on him any second. “Come on, I’ll give you a tour of the castle.”  
  
“You better give him a change of clothes too. A nice hot bath would be even better.” Anna frowns.  
  
“How did that happen?” Alfonse worriedly looks over Kiran who lets out a small sneeze.  
  
“I was running in the rain before I wound up here.” The Summoner’s voice is still quiet. “I don’t really want to talk about it.”  
  
“I suppose that’s understandable. Come on, let’s get you settled in.”  
  
-  
Kiran paces quietly in the bath house, waiting for Alfonse to come with the clothes. He mutters that it’s a dumb idea to stay here. Part of him feels the need to return home, but why would he want to? No one cared about him there. He had no friends and his parents certainly didn’t care. They were just too busy fighting all the time. He’d managed to get himself caught in the middle of one of their spats, wound up getting hit and he started running for his life. Kiran clenches his hands into fists and looks at the pistol looking thing sitting on a nearby chair. He was given it after the big introduction, but part of him didn’t want to touch it. A quiet knock at the door startles him. He whirls around from his pacing and opens it to reveal Alfonse holding a bundle of clothes.  
  
“I’m assuming that since we’re the same height, some of my clothes would fit you. Hopefully they do. In time we can probably get a tailor to make you some new stuff.” Alfonse hands over the bundle. “Just make sure to lay out all your wet garments so they can dry.”  
  
“What about shoes?” Kiran glances down at his sneakers which are thoroughly soaked.  
  
“We can try and find you some after your bath.” The Prince nods. “I’ll be in the kitchen which is just down the hall. Come and see me when you’re done, alright?”  
  
“Okay.” Kiran holds onto the bundle of clothes as the Prince turns to leave. “Alfonse?”  
  
“Yeah?” He pauses.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
Alfonse smiles and nods at the Summoner before leaving him to the bath.  
  
Kiran sets the bundle down on the chair and pulls back his hood. He shakes out his head and takes a peek in the mirror. He inhales sharply with surprise. In his short black hair is a streak of white that starts at his forehead. His eyes are now mismatched as well, with one still it’s natural brown and the other a brilliant gold. He bites his lip, snakebite piercings stabbing him slightly. Bruising starts to form under the golden eye from where he was hit.  
  
“What the hell?” Kiran looks at himself closer in the mirror. “I must be going crazy. I’m totally still back on that street. Maybe I slipped and smashed my head? Maybe I’m in a coma or something… damn.” He looks back at the made bath and sighs. “Oh well.” He takes off the elegant white coat and starts peeling off his layers of wet clothes. The wet garments land in a pile on the floor, and he carefully sets his necklaces on the chair. Both are ones that he bought and hid on his person, just so he could have something nice that his parents wouldn’t fight over.  
  
Kiran’s now sans clothing and sinks down into the bath. It’s warm and makes him feel… safe? Was that the right word? He’s never really felt something like this before.  
  
-  
After a long soak, Kiran gets out and dries off. He pulls apart the clothing bundle to find underwear, pants and a long-sleeved shirt. The pants and shirt are a little tight, but they’ll make do for now. He slips on the coat afterwards and puts the hood up to cover his face once more. He organizes his wet clothes so they’re laying out, grabs his necklaces and Briedablik and exits the bathhouse. Kiran sticks the necklaces in their usual place around his neck and heads down the hall to the kitchen. Something smells good and makes his stomach rumble slightly. He pauses for a moment to gaze at the architecture. The walls are a stony grey, but banners and torches between windows make the place feel more like home. Kiran continues down the hall and winds up at the kitchen, where one of the maids is making something. Alfonse is sitting on the back counter with his nose in a book and an apple in the other hand.  
  
“Uh, hey…”  
  
The Prince looks up at Kiran’s voice and hops off the counter. “Feel refreshed?”  
  
“Yeah. Thanks for letting me borrow your clothes.”  
  
“No problem. Now there’s a more serious issue we need to cover. I just got word that the Emblian Empire is invading the World of Mystery. The Order of Heroes is meant to protect worlds that Heroes come from, and they’re in danger. We could use your help, Summoner.”  
  
“I would love to help but-“  
  
“But? I’m sorry but this is an emergency. We do have the means to send you home if-“  
  
“I’m only protesting because I don’t have dry shoes. I’ll help, but I need decent footwear.” Kiran looks down at his bare feet that are in front of the doorway to the kitchen.  
  
“Oh!” Alphonse looks rather embarrassed. “My apologies. Follow me and we can get you something.”  
  
-  
Kiran had eventually settled on a pair of boots that came just short of his knees. He trudges quietly after Alphonse, who scouts ahead.  
  
“We must find where Anna and my sister are before we go to the World of Mystery.”  
  
“You’ve got a sister?”  
  
“Yeah. Her name’s Sharena. We watch out for each other a lot since our parents aren’t around.” Alphonse takes a look around and finds the right way to head. “Do you have any siblings, Summoner?”  
  
“No. I’m an only child.” Kiran hopes that the Prince doesn’t hear the slight note of disappointment in his voice.  
  
“Hm.” Alfonse pauses to look back at him. “What’s your family like?”  
  
Kiran seems to shrink in on himself at the question. He supposes that he needs to say something about it eventually, but not now. “I don’t want to talk about it.”  
  
“Oh… well, we should go find Sharena and Anna.” Alfonse seems slightly worried as the two continue their trek. Part of Kiran hoped that one day, he could tell these people about his past and open up to them.


	2. New Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one day? Wow.  
> I've been casually avoiding studying while writing this. The part at the beginning is a little flashback so you can get to know Kiran and his past a little better. The rest of the fic will more than likely have mentions of the various chapters (but you bet I'm including what happens at the end of chapter 10). Please enjoy and good luck on your summoning!

“That’s really good, Kiran!” The little girl sitting in the seat next to him exclaims. She gives him a grin that’s missing a few teeth as she points at Kiran’s drawing. It’s of a house with a depiction of himself standing out front with a dog, no parents in sight.  
  
“Thanks Maddie!” Kiran returns the smile with his own. “I really want a puppy, but my parents won’t let me.”  
  
“Aw, why not?”  
  
“I’m not sure.” Kiran looks down at his doodle. He was only ten years old, but part of him wanted to move out and live on his own, have a nice, quiet place where his parents couldn’t find him. They always shouted and were unhappy with everything he did.  
  
“You can come over to my house! I’ve got a puppy you can play with.” Maddie grins and bounces in her seat, making her red curls dance.  
  
“Really? I-I’d have to ask my parents to see if I can.”  
-  
They found Sharena and Anna in the World of Mystery after a while of walking and needing to fight off some bandits. Kiran had absolutely no clue how to defend himself from a sword’s blow, but a few firings of Briedablik brought a few heroes to his and Alfonse’s rescue. Thankfully, they could get out in one piece.  
  
“What took you so long?” A young, blonde woman wearing similar armor to Alfonse asks as Kiran and the Prince dash up.  
  
“Sorry,” Alfonse is slightly out of breath, “We had to fight our way here.”  
  
“Who’s your friend?” The woman looks confused, but when she sees Briedablik in Kiran’s hand, she gasps. “Are you the Great Hero?”  
  
Kiran glances down at the relic and back up to her. “I suppose so.”  
  
“Oh, that’s absolutely wonderful! You can help us!”  
  
“Sharena, please calm down. He’s only been here for a few hours and is probably still a little disoriented.” Alfonse crosses his arms, frowning at his sister. “This is Kiran. He’s got a knack for being a tactician, so I feel like we’re in good hands.”  
  
Good hands? One move in one of the last fights they had was nearly fatal. Kiran felt like he didn’t deserve any praises. He remains silent.  
  
“That’s amazing! I’m definitely going to be your number-one fan from now on!” Sharena giggles and leans on her lance. “Oh, I forgot to introduce myself properly. I’m Sharena, Alfonse’s little sister.”  
  
“He’s told me a few things about you.” Kiran says softly, looking at the ground.  
  
“O-only good things! I promise.” Alfonse stutters out when Sharena scrunches up her face. The younger sibling shakes her head and rolls her eyes.  
  
“Anyways, we’ve got a situation to take care of. The Emblian Empire’s taken control of a hero from the World of Mystery, and we need to put a stop to it. Will you help, Kiran?” Sharena looks at the Summoner, but he still won’t make eye contact.  
  
“I’ll try my best.”  
-  
The team had succeeded in freeing Princess Minerva from her contract to the Empire.  
  
“You did a wonderful job, Kiran!” Sharena drags the Summoner into a hug. He stiffens at the contact and is unsure of what to do. Thankfully the Princess lets him go a moment later. “I’m proud of you.”  
  
Kiran bows his head a little.  
  
“We need to head back home; our own kingdom is under attack.” Anna frowns and gestures for the group to hurry.  
-  
The skies are clear and beautifully blue, contrasting the imminent destruction of the kingdom of Askr if it wasn’t stopped soon. A short woman, well she looked more like a child or someone in their teens, stands in the fields near the edge of Askr. There’s a lineup of Heroes behind her.  
  
Alfonse, Kiran, Sharena and Anna arrive quickly to the fields. “Stop this at once, Veronica!” The Prince yells, drawing his sword, ready to defend himself and the kingdom.  
  
“I think not.” Veronica glares at the group, pausing to look at Kiran. “Who’s this holding your silly little relic? Your legendary Summoner?” She sighs. “No matter. You will all be dead anyways after I’m through with you.” She waves her hand, allowing one hero, Prince Xander of Nohr to step forth and prepare for battle.  
  
“I won’t let you near him.” Alfonse stands protectively in front of Kiran, which surprises the Summoner.  
  
“I won’t either.” Sharena stands defensively next to her brother. “Don’t worry, Kiran. We’ll protect you.”  
  
Kiran nods slightly.  
-  
Thanks to Kiran’s help, the battle went rather smoothly, only minor scratches.  
  
“We told you, Veronica. You need to stop this.” Alphonse points his sword at her.  
  
“How dull.” The Emblian Princess lets out a huff of air and makes a retreat, Heroes at her side. After she’s gone, Alfonse frowns.  
  
“The kingdom is safe for a little while, but they’re going to try again soon.” The Prince shakes his head.  
  
“I don’t get why we can’t sit and talk about this.” Sharena notes, tightening her grip on her lance.  
  
“She’s not the kind of person to listen.” Kiran pipes up. His parents were often like that. Too thick skulled to care about any opinion or plan but their own.  
  
“She’s too stubborn for her own good.”  
  
“Yeah.” Alfonse turns to the Summoner. “I’m sorry you had to get dragged into this, Kiran. But I’m glad you’re willing to help us out with this.”  
  
A slight smile tugs at Kiran’s lips. He was feeling more needed here than he ever did at home. Of course, he still didn’t trust anyone here, but it seemed to be growing on him.  
  
“I don’t think we even got you a room of your own yet.” Alfonse looks a little embarrassed.  
  
“Gods Alfonse, he’s a guest! You didn’t think of that?” Sharena flicks her brother’s forehead.  
  
“Hey!” He rubs the spot she flicks with his palm. “At least he had a bath beforehand.” That makes his sister shake her head and grab Kiran’s hand.  
  
“Come on, let’s get you settled!” Sharena proceeds to tug the Summoner back to the castle.  
-  
The room he was given was rather spacious. The bed is wide with freshly changed sheets and lots pillows. Way more than he ever owned at home. Windows provide a lot of light in the room and shows a beautiful view as well. Kiran pokes around, still in disbelief that this is happening. He traces a finger along the intricately carved bed frame and decides to look at what’s behind the door in the back. Turns out, it leads to a private bath. Something tells him he’ll need to use that often for relaxation.  
  
“Kiran?”  
  
The Summoner flinches at the voice and curses himself for being startled. It was just Alfonse. Kiran walks back into the bedroom. “Yeah?”  
  
“Is this a good enough room for you?” The Prince looks unscathed from the battles today. A bandage sitting on his cheek is really the only visual evidence of the fights. At least he wasn’t badly hurt.  
  
“Yes, thank you.”  
  
“Sharena and I are wondering if you’d like to accompany us to the market for a few minutes. We can see about buying you some clothes of your own if you’d like.” Alfonse leans against the door frame.  
  
“That would be wonderful, thanks.” Kiran stares at the floor.  
  
“Hm…” Alfonse tilts his head. “Can I ask you something?”  
  
“I suppose so.”  
  
“Why do you keep the hood up? You don’t have to hide…” The Prince crosses his arms and furrows his brows in concern.  
  
“I…” Was Kiran ready to tell him? No, not yet. “It’s personal, I don’t want to talk about it.”  
  
“Alright, I won’t push it. But do know that I’m here to listen if you need to talk about anything.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
-  
Kiran didn’t take his hood off at the market and seemed rather secluded the entire trip. He helped the royal siblings pick out a few things but eventually it was time for the buying of new clothes.  
  
“Oh, come on, Kiran. We need to get you some new stuff so you don’t have to keep raiding my brother’s wardrobe.”  
  
“Sharena, he looks exhausted. He can keep borrowing my stuff until we have enough time for a proper shopping trip.” Alfonse scrunches up his nose at his sister.  
  
“Kiran can at least pick out a few things while we’re here, right?” Sharena tugs on the Summoner’s sleeve and encourages him to walk with her to a clothing booth. “I’m assuming you’re going to need some sleepwear so we can look for that first. How does that sound?”  
  
“Good.” As always, Kiran is quiet with his responses.  
  
“Come on!” Sharena excitedly drags him close to the market booth. Colorful clothing sits on racks and shelves, and a sheet covers a back area that can be used to tailor clothes to fit better.  
  
A middle-aged man armed with various fabrics and a tape measure eagerly greets the trio as they arrive in the tent. “Hello, hello! If you need help or are interested in anything here, please let me know, and I’ll be happy to help!” He immediately scoots off to another part of the tent to drop things off.  
  
“Alright! Pick out whatever you like and we’ll get it for you.”  
  
“You really don’t need to…” Kiran fiddles with the edge of the coat sleeve.  
  
“It’s really no trouble at all! We want you to be comfortable while you’re here.” Sharena gently pats the Summoner’s shoulder.  
  
“Thank you…”  
  
“No problem! Go ahead and pick some stuff out.”  
-  
After about an hour at the booth, Kiran had picked out a few sets of sleepwear, underclothes, and some things to wear during the day. Before purchasing everything and leaving, Kiran found an extremely soft blanket. He picks it up and holds it for a minute. He didn’t want to burden Alfonse and Sharena too much with these purchases, so he ends up putting it back.  
  
“Ready to go?” Sharena asks after paying for everything.  
  
“Yeah.”  
-  
Night had fallen as the group arrived back at the castle. Once back in his new room, Kiran slips into his new clothes. They’re loose and made of a softer material than the ones he was borrowing. Once he’s dressed, he puts the coat back on and pulls up the hood. Gathering up the used clothes, he heads out of his room and wanders around to try and find the laundry room. He’d only had a brief tour of a portion of the castle earlier, and odds are he’s going to get himself lost anyways. He hums quietly as he wanders the hall. It’s a gorgeously made castle with various decorations everywhere.  
  
“Kiran?”  
  
Alfonse’s voice startles him, making him whirl around. “Hi.”  
  
“Looking for something Summoner?”  
  
“Where’s your laundry room?” Kiran holds the bundle of clothes tightly.  
  
“Oh! I’ll take you there. Mind if we chat a bit while we walk?” Alfonse gestures down the hall and turns to head in that direction.  
  
“I don’t mind.” The Summoner jogs quickly to catch up to the Prince to be beside him. Both walk in silence for a moment as Alfonse thinks of questions he wants to ask.  
  
“So, what did you do every day? I’m guessing it’s definitely not training with swords.” Alfonse looks genuinely curious as he brushes a few strands of hair out of his face.  
  
“I was in school. Graduated high school and was in my 3rd year of college before coming here.”  
  
“What did you study?”  
  
“Astronomy and Art. I was working on some landscapes of the night sky before I left.” Kiran sighs. I guess the only thing I’ll miss about my old world is my studies.” Alfonse gives him a look of confusion.  
  
“Do you fully intend to stay in Askr? I would’ve thought you would want to return after this is over. Surely you have someone back there that would miss you.”  
  
“They won’t miss me. The one person who ever would have cared died a long time ago.” Kiran stops in his tracks, grabbing onto the Prince’s arm to stop him as well. He quickly let go and tentatively reaches up to his hood. “I-I’m sorry… I don’t need to burden you with this.”  
  
“Hey, I told you, I’m here to listen if you need to get anything off your chest.” Alfonse gently pats Kiran’s arm and gives him a worried look. Kiran shakily inhales and pulls back the hood. He slowly looks up to meet the Prince’s blue gaze. Alfonse looks like he’s trying to find the right words to say. Suddenly he reaches out and sets a hand on each of Kiran’s shoulders. “Whoever did that to you,” He stares at the bruising under Kiran’s golden eye, “won’t ever see you again. You’re safe here, and I won’t allow them or anyone else to bring harm to you. I vow this as a member of the Order of Heroes and hopefully as your friend in due time.”  
  
“No one’s ever said that to me before… thank you…” Kiran feels tears welling up in his eyes. He wipes at them before reaching to pull his hood back over his head.  
  
“You can keep the hood off, you know.”  
  
“I think I’ll keep it on until the bruises fade. I don’t want everyone asking me questions every time they see it.”  
  
“Alright. I’m glad you trusted me enough to show me.” Alfonse gives the Summoner’s shoulder a pat before continuing to lead down the hall. “Come on, we still have that laundry to take care of.”  
  
Kiran had barely been there a day, and he felt safer than he ever did in his own realm. He could open up a little to Alfonse, which was starting to head them on the road to friendship.


	3. Practice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In celebration of me completing exams, have another chapter! I do have the next two planned out so hopefully I can get those written soon as well.  
> I'll be naming Kiran's sword as well as designing it. (Because everything in FE is Extra so we need to let Kiran be Extra too) Enjoy and good luck summoning!

“Mama, can I go to Maggie’s house?” Kiran holds on tightly to his backpack. He’d just gotten home from school and had barely gotten in the door before asking. His mother, a woman with matted brown hair and a cigarette between her lips, stares, more like glares, at her son.  
  
“Why?” She mutters, returning her attention to the dishes.  
  
“She’s got a puppy, and she said I could pet it.” Little Kiran feels as if this conversation is going to go south quickly, which it does. Why did he even try to ask?  
  
“Why the hell would you want to see a filthy beast.” His mother grunts, taking a drag and exhaling smoke. “Go to your room.”  
  
“Yes mother.” Kiran slips off his shoes and quietly heads upstairs. His bedroom was his one and only sanctuary in this house. Once he’s inside, he quietly locks the door. Kiran grabs the extra pair of sneakers from under his bed and quickly puts them on. Fashioning a rope out of sheets, he opens the window and easily escapes, heading to Maggie’s house.  
-  
It had been almost a week since Kiran had arrived in Aksr. Since then, he’d helped take care of a couple of invasions and summoned a number of Heroes. The bruising on his face hadn’t quite vanished yet, so he still kept his hood up, though he would take it off every once in a while if it was just him in the room or if Alfonse was also in there with him.  
  
Kiran makes his way down one of the halls of the castle. It was a lot less empty with all the Heroes now walking around. He’d gotten to know a few of them but was still a bit tentative about socializing with everyone. He rounds the corner into the main hall, where few Heroes usually gathered. Niles was casually lounging on the staircase at one end, cradling an apple in one hand as he gazed at the ceiling. Robin was in the middle of discussing something with Laslow, and Corrin looks at one of the paintings on the walls. Kiran heads across the hall to the other wing; the one that lead to the training grounds outside. Alfonse had requested Kiran come train, just to make sure that if he was caught, he could defend himself. The Summoner’s never held a sword or any other pointed weapon before. This might get embarrassing. He heads out the door into the training grounds. It’s a flat part of the land with a section of training dummies on one side and what looks like an arena on the other. The “arena” is where Alfonse stands. He looks a little thinner without all the Order armor on. The Prince smiles when Kiran walks in.  
  
“Hello Summoner. We’re just going to practice with some wooden swords today to get you used to it.” Alfonse holds a training sword in each hand, and he offers one up. “It’s just going to be us out here, so you may want to take your coat off so you don’t overheat.”  
  
“Ok…” He carefully slips the coat off and drapes it over a nearby training dummy. He pushes up the sleeves of his shirt and steps into the midday sunlight. Accepting the offered-up sword, he attempts to get into a fighting stance. “Teach me what I need to do.”  
  
“First off, don’t stand like that. Standing in a straight line is going to make you easier to throw off balance. Stand with your feet on an angle and squat down a little. Ground yourself.” Alfonse watches Kiran adjust his stance. The Prince taps various spots on the Summoner’s body to get him to scoot and reposition. “There’s a proper sword stance. Remember how that feels.”  
  
“Got it.” Kiran lets out a breath of air and focuses on the task at hand. “What next?”  
  
“Next is basic sword technique.” Alfonse stands across from him in a stance that screamed he was a seasoned warrior. “You’re either going to have a two-handed stance or a blade in one hand with a shield in the other. You can go without the shield if you want, but you’re going to need to be quicker with your strikes and avoiding attacks.”  
-  
Once Kiran was taught the basics, it was time for a practice sparring match. Kiran cautiously steps forward, two-handing his practice sword. Alfonse takes a swing, which Kiran easily blocks. Both swords make a loud CLACK when they strike together, and it makes Kiran a little uneasy.  
  
“Don’t worry about the noise, Summoner. Don’t let yourself get distracted by it. Your opponent can use that to their advantage.” Alfonse goes in with another strike, which gets blocked this time. “There we go!” He grins proudly. “Try it again.”  
-  
“You’re always so serious when you’re training.” Kiran notes, leaning against a training dummy.  
  
“War’s a serious business.” Alfonse sighs. The two were taking a short break in the shade before getting back to work.  
  
“Have you ever thought about what life would be like if there wasn’t a war going on?” Kiran’s mismatched gaze lands on the Prince.  
  
“I don’t suppose I have.” He laughs and rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “My parents would probably try to marry me off to someone. No idea who, but they’d definitely try.”  
  
“They’re probably going to do it after the war. Like a “yay we did it, now let’s have our kid get married and throw a party” kind of thing.” Kiran smiles a little, then bounces back into the training ring. The sun is starting to hang a little lower in the sky. “Let’s get a little more practice in.”  
-  
There’s a whiff of air as the Prince’s practice sword sails past the Summoner, and the Summoner’s sword lands perfectly on Alfonse’s side with a soft pat.  
  
“You’re getting better at this, but you left yourself open again.” Alfonse steps close, shouldering Kiran to throw him off balance. However, Kiran grabs the Prince’s shoulder and pulls him to the ground as well. The two land hard with Alfonse accidentally smashing his face into Kiran’s chest. Alfonse rolls off to the side.  
  
“Ow.” Kiran rubs his chest and coughs. He sits up a little and stares at Alfonse. “You okay?” The Prince snorts and bursts into laughter.  
  
“That was great! Though next time I’d like to avoid smashing my face.”  
  
Kiran’s stomach flutters lightly. Hearing that laugh and seeing that smile just made his heart race.  
-  
They’d practiced until the sun was low, and the skies were painted in wonderful shades of red and orange. Kiran’s legs sting from swings that hit too hard, as well as general exercise. He wheezes a little.  
  
“That’s definitely enough for today.” Alfonse pats the young man’s shoulder. “You did really good for your first day! Some more training and we can get you a real sword. Though if you want to spar, we can use some blunted metal blades to get you used to the weight.  
  
“That sounds wonderful!” Kiran’s smile is bigger than any of the ones Alfonse has seen so far, and it’s actually pretty cute.  
  
“I can get a sword for you to use on the field as well. We have a lot of them in the armory.” Alfonse pauses on the thought. A basic armory sword wouldn’t be suitable for Askr’s tactician. Something forged would be better. “We can head there next.”  
  
“Really? Thank you!” Kiran eagerly jogs up to Alfonse and tugs him into a quick hug before dashing to the door of the castle.  
  
“W-wait a second! You forgot your coat!” Alfonse stutters, caught off guard by the hug and quickly grabs it off the training dummy and runs to Kiran’s side. He hands it over and his friend puts it on. Kiran reaches to pull up the hood, but pauses. “Something wrong?”  
  
“I… I shouldn’t hide my face anymore. Even if there’s still some bruising, that will go away. Plus, it’s never going to happen again. My parents can’t do it.” Kiran meets the Prince’s gaze. Alfonse gives him a proud smile.  
  
“You’re really brave for going through all that.” The Prince opens the door to the castle. “Come on. Let’s show everyone."


	4. Worry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kiran's doing well as Askr's tactician, but when a teammate gets hurt, he can't help but blame himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We'll be heading to the spring festival next chapter! Hopefully I'll remember to make a reference sheet for Kiran soon too. 
> 
> Good luck in the gauntlet and summoning!

Kiran books it down the street as fast as his little legs can carry him. Maggie’s house shouldn’t be far if his memory was correct. He’d only been there once before, so he hoped he was headed to the right house. The only thing he remembered was an obnoxious looking garden gnome out front.  
  
He pauses out of breath on the street corner and looks both ways. Going right seemed like a good idea. He dashes down the sidewalk. Spying the garden gnome, he makes himself run faster towards the short yellow house. He excitedly runs towards the front door and nearly trips up the pair of steps. Kiran bounces a little as he hits the doorbell. He’s greeted by the bark of a dog.  
  
The door opens to reveal Maggie and a Rottweiler poking his head out.  
  
“You made it!” Maggie grabs Kiran’s wrist and tugs him inside.  
-  
Kiran tentatively scans the battlefield. It had been going in their favor until an axe wielding mercenary had entered the scene.  
  
“Niles, look out!” The Summoner shouts at him, alerting him to a sword’s blow heading to his head. Luckily, the archer dodged just in time, avoiding a fatal swing. Kiran turns his attention to Corrin across the field. The young man is holding up well. Laslow is nearby, able to support him if necessary. A cry of alarm makes Kiran whirl around. He sees Alfonse get thrown backwards, skidding across the dirt and grass, staining his white uniform. In the heat of the moment, Kiran dashes forward from his position on the slight hill, quickly drawing his own sword to take a swing at the Prince’s attacker. His blow connects, sending the man to the ground. Blood spatters against his white coat, making Kiran freeze. Panic hits him, making him grip his sword tighter. The sword was finished the other day, and it was already seeing battle. He sheaths the intricately made blade and rushes back to Alfonse. The Prince lies there, barely moving. Kiran immediately sits, bringing the battered young man into his lap. There’s an aggressive looking slash across his chest, and he looks rather pale. Alfonse visibly cringes and tries placing a hand over the wound. Kiran fumbles at unhooking Briedablik from his belt, but after removing it, he quickly stuffs in a silver orb and prayed to whatever god that was listening.  
  
BAM!  
  
The shot makes his ears ring a little as the relic bounces in recoil. Out stumbles a young healer, Lissa. She immediately turns around, slightly confused by her surroundings until she sees the two huddled on the ground.  
  
“Please, help…” Kiran says weakly, placing down the relic and moving his hand to help put pressure on the wound. Alfonse was breathing a little harder now, leaning his forehead against the arm that cradled him.  
  
“Right away!” Lissa quickly works a healing spell, and Alfonse sighs in relief when it takes effect. He immediately falls limp against Kiran.  
  
“Alfonse?” Kiran grips the Prince tighter as worry sinks in his chest.  
  
“Whoa, hey! Don’t worry, he’s just unconscious. Lots of stress and a bad wound will do that to you. Once your friends finish the fight, we can take him back to wherever you’re staying.” Lissa stands at the ready to heal again just in case someone else got hurt. Thankfully, the other three team members made it out with only a few scratches. After a slight struggle, the group managed to get Alfonse into a somewhat comfortable position as they toted him back to the castle. Kiran and Laslow supported the young man’s shoulders and Niles and Corrin carried his legs. It took a little longer to get back to the castle than before, but thankfully they arrived and got Alfonse settled in his bed before Sharena could come in and fret. Corrin, Niles and Laslow left, leaving Kiran and Lissa with the unconscious Prince. The two had managed to remove the armor from his torso so Lissa could get a better look at the wound. It is rather nasty looking, but it should look better after a few healing sessions and plenty of rest.  
  
Sharena bursts into the room, sounding out of breath. “What happened?”  
  
“I-I wasn’t watching him! I didn’t see the blow… It’s my fault he got hurt… I’ve been so careful so far, I’m so sorry I messed up.” Kiran’s eyes were watering. He couldn’t stand to see the Prince get hurt.  
  
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up over it. You had some quick thinking out there and saved him.” Sharena places her hands on the Summoner’s shoulders. “He’s alright, and that’s what matters.”  
  
Kiran sniffles a little and looks down his stained coat.  
-  
Since the incident, Kiran had been doting on the Prince left and right. Making meals, helping change bandages, all that stuff.  
  
The Summoner currently stands on the outskirts of the castle grounds, facing a lake in the distance. The moon’s risen, covering the land in a soft glow. He crosses his arms with a sigh. He still blames himself for what happened.  
  
The breeze picks up slightly, ruffling his hair and making him shiver. Part of him regrets leaving his coat behind, but it needed to get washed.  
  
“Hey.” Kiran whirls around at Alfonse’s voice. The Prince approaches slowly, still a little stiff from his down time. He’s carrying something underneath his arm as well.  
  
“How are you feeling?”  
  
“Little sore.” Alfonse laughs gently. He looks a little thinner without his Order of Heroes armor. He stands next to Kiran to admire the view of the moon reflecting off the lake. “Thanks for helping me out there. I really appreciate it. And I’ve gotta say, your new sword really suits you. Did you figure out a name for it yet?”  
  
“Excalibur. It’s a sword from a legend back home.” Kiran glances at his friend.  
  
“That’s a perfect name.” Alfonse looks to the ground and scoots aside a rock with his shoe. “Hey, so you remember that blanket you were looking at in the market the other day?”  
  
“Uh, yeah. Why?”  
  
“Here.” Alfonse hands him the bundle that was under his arm. Kiran carefully takes it, letting it unfurl in the wind. It’s the blanket he looked at. He immediately clutches it to his chest. Kiran turns and pulls Alfonse into a light hug. The Prince takes a moment to return it.  
  
“This is wonderful! T-thank you.”  
  
“No problem!” The two part from the hug and Alfonse beams. “Oh, do you want to come with me to the market tomorrow? I need to get a few things, but I thought you’d like to pick out some painting supplies.”  
  
“I’d love to, but you still need some rest.” Kiran pouts.  
  
“I’ve been resting for two days!” Alfonse scowls and crosses his arms. “I’m fine.”  
  
“Alright, but the second you feel dizzy or sick, I’m carrying you back to the castle.” The Summoner wraps his new blanket around his shoulders and takes notice that it smells like Alfonse, old castle mixed with a hint of mint. It’s comforting.  
  
“Ok."


	5. Celebrate!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The spring festival his here! What does it hold for Kiran and his friends?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long on this chapter, ended up getting a little stuck (oops). Hope you enjoy!

Kiran scratches the big dog behind the ears as he sits on Maggie’s bed. Here he felt safe. He leans up against the Rottweiler and feels himself falling asleep.

“Kiran, what are you doing?” Maggie comes back into the room, armed with a large glass of milk and an entire container of chocolate chip cookies. Her friend wearily raises his head.

“Oh, just, trying to nap, I guess.”

“You can nap after we snack.” Maggie sets the glass on a desk in her room and sets to work opening the package of cookies.

-

“Kiran! Get up! The Spring Festival starts today!” A quick pounding at his door echoes through the room before Sharena bursts through the door. The Summoner groggily lifts his head from under his new blanket and rubs his eye.

“Wha…”

“Come on, sleepyhead. Time to get up! Everyone’s waiting for you!” Sharena tosses a bundle of something at the end of his bed and shakes his shoulder.

“Alright, I’m up, I’m up.” Kiran yawns and sits up, pulling the blanket over his face.

“Nope. You need to get moving, mister.” Sharena tugs the blanket off him, making his hair stick up. “Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes, so if you could please get dressed by then, that would be great.”

“What’s this?” Kiran pokes at the bundle.

“Your outfit for today! Everyone’s going to be wearing similar gear so don’t feel awkward about it.” Sharena beams, then turns and leaves the room.

Kiran gets up and closes the door. He runs a hand through his hair with a sigh, then starts picking apart the bundle of clothes. He finds a white shirt and pair of pants trimmed with gold, as well as a navy blue cape and a set of bunny ears and a tail.   
Might as well get dressed.

-

Kiran fiddles with the rabbit ears as he walks to the main hall of the castle. He feels a little embarrassed when one ear keeps flopping over.

“Having problems?” Niles tilts his head when the Summoner walks by. The archer’s clad in a darker and more form fitting version of Kiran’s outfit.

“Stupid ear won’t stay up.” Kiran yanks it off his head and stares at it.

“It’s got a mind of its own.” Niles laughs softly and takes off his own pair of ears. “I’ll trade you, but I do have to say that Alfonse might think the floppy ear is cute.”

“What?!” Kiran splutters, nearly dropping the ears. “W-what do you mean by that?”

“I’ve seen the way you look at our darling prince. Once I didn’t know that look, but since I met Corrin…” He trails off. “I now know what that look is. And you’ve been staring all puppy eyed at him since he gave you that blanket a couple weeks ago.”

“I’m not all puppy eyed…” Kiran pouts and looks at the floor. “I do like him, but I don’t know if he’d ever return feelings like that.”

“Summoner, can I give you some advice?” Niles puts a hand on the young man’s shoulder.

“Uh, sure?”

“It never hurts to try.”

-

Kiran heads into the main hall, still with his original headband in tow to where Corrin, Robin and Laslow wait. They’re wearing similar spring attire as well. Sharena bursts into the room with a bright smile, dragging her brother behind her. Alfonse’s spring outfit is much more intricate with a golden shirt, white pants, and a white cape with the Order of Heroes logo on the back.

“It’s time for the Spring Festival! I’m so excited.” Sharena bounces excitedly.

“I’m still a little confused as to what’s going on…” Kiran scratches his head.

“You didn’t tell him?” Alfonse fiddles with straightening the edge of his shirt and pouts at his sister.

“Oops. Well it’s a festival held in spring, and that’s why I love it! Now, come on, we’ve gotta beat the crowds!” The Princess bolts out of the castle, eagerly waving for everyone else to follow. The Summoner’s team picks up a steady jog to follow the way too excited Princess.

“I’ll explain more when we get there.” Alfonse gives Kiran’s shoulder a quick pat as he jogs ahead.

-

“Ah, the World of Awakening. In this town, they have a festival in the spring to wish for good harvest. We’re already dressed appropriately with the festivities,” Alfonse casually flicks one of his rabbit ears that was drooping. “and there’s egg decorating and various contests to participate in.”

Kiran nods as everything’s explained to him, when a young man in blue approaches them. “Hello! Are you here for the competition?”

“That’s Prince Chrom!” Sharena whispers excitedly. Ylisse’s royalty looked much different than the last time they’d seen him, especially since he was brandishing an axe decorated with carrots.

“Uh… sure?” The Summoner sounds a little confused.

“This is his first time at a Spring Festival.” Alfonse smiles, looking at Kiran.

“Well! Let’s make it a memorable one, shall we?” Chrom nods and gestures for Kiran’s group to follow him. “There’s egg decorating stations over here, and of course plenty of games with prizes. We’ve also got a lot of food for you to eat as well.”

-

Kiran ended up sticking close to Alfonse most of the time that he and his friends were at the festival. Part of him found himself sneaking glances at the Prince. He nearly caught him a few times, which made his stomach flutter.   
Yikes.

-

The sun was starting to hang low after everyone had a large dinner. Sharena suggested that they all head back soon so they could rest up for the competitions that would be taking place tomorrow.

“I’d at least like to stay past sunset…” Alfonse nods a little. “They’ve got a light show put on by some of the mages.”

“That sounds really cool!” In Kiran’s mind, he pictured fireworks or something resembling an intense Firebender battle.

“Alrighty. Just make sure you come back after you’re done! I don’t want our Tactician to be too worn out to do his job.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Alfonse waves a hand before motioning for the rest of the group to follow him. “Let’s go find a good spot.”

-

Kiran brings his knees to his chest. The sun had fallen and it was starting to get a tad chilly. He and Alfonse were the only ones who stayed behind for the light show.

“Kiran, you’re definitely going to love this.” Alfonse beams at the summoner as he brushes a strand of hair out of his face. He pauses and frowns. “What’s wrong?”

“Just a little cold, I’m fine.” He looks back up at the sky. Kiran’s mismatched eyes scan the horizon and he hugs his knees to try and get a little warmer. He was missing the white coat he usually wore. Hands gently placing something on his shoulders made him jump a little. Alfonse had handed over his cloak.

“There, that should be better, yeah?”

“Yeah, thanks.” Kiran smiles gently and tugs the cloak tighter over his shoulders. A hush falls over the crowd gathered as magic suddenly shoots into the air, which is followed by assorted “ooohs” and “aaahs”. “Oh, that’s gorgeous!” Kiran’s gaze is trained on the sky, watching magic fly into the air, but he isn’t aware of the prince’s gaze on him, watching him with a smile.

-

The following day, Kiran was dressed in his usual uniform, except for the addition of rabbit ears.

“Come on, we’re going to be late!” Sharena bounced impatiently while everyone waited for her brother. They were going to be competing in the spring festival today and Alfonse was a key team member. The others, Robin, Corrin, and Niles were ready and waiting. A rapid padding of feet down the hall, makes everyone look up. A somewhat frazzled Alfonse books it around the corner and makes a beeline for the entrance of the castle.

“Let’s go!” He quickly bounds away as everyone else follows.

-

The arena was fairly huge with chattering crowds of people inside. Kiran and Sharena stand in a sort of coaching area behind the low wall which lines the inside of the battle area.

“Remember to watch your opponent’s carefully, Alfonse. And do let me know if you’re feeling ill so we can switch out.” The summoner crosses his arms in concern. It hadn’t been long since the incident where the prince got hurt, but thankfully he’d healed prior to the celebration.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.” Alfonse smiles and heads off into the arena alongside his allies.

-

“Today’s winners are, Alfonse, Niles, Robin and Corrin! Congratulations!” Crowds cheered as confetti sprayed from the stands. Kiran hops over the low wall in front of him. Dashing across the arena, he runs up and greets the team. He catches Robin in a hug first, then gives one to everyone else on the team, needing to resist holding onto the blue haired prince for too long.

“Good job you guys!” The summoner beams at them.

“We couldn’t have done it without your help.” Corrin gives him a sharp grin.

“Aw, thanks.” Kiran laughs and rubs the back of his neck.

“Come on, let’s go celebrate our victory.” Niles nods to the various food stalls and starts heading in that direction. Corrin immediately follows, scooping up the archer’s hand into theirs. Robin also follows with a grumbling stomach. Alfonse turns towards the summoner and motions for him to turn around.

“You took a bit of the celebration with you.” He laughs softly and scoops confetti out of the young man’s hood.

“Oh, oops.” Kiran sheepishly turns around when the prince is done.

“Something wrong?”

“Nothing.” Kiran waves off the question which makes his stomach flip. He wanted to be able to say something about how he felt, but it just wasn’t the right time or place for anything like that. Hell, he wasn’t even sure about his feelings. He did have strong concern for the prince’s safety, and they had become good friends. Perhaps he could ask Sharena about it later, or if she knew about it at all. “Come on, let’s go follow the others.” Kiran nods in the direction that his friends had made their exit in and starts to head that way, glancing back in the prince’s direction to see if he was following. Alfonse was close behind, and he’d follow anywhere the Summoner asked him to.


End file.
